By Karen Vance
Enquirer contributor

GOSHEN - In a unanimous vote, Goshen Local Schools agreed this week to open their doors to students outside the district.

Monday night, the district adopted, in a 3-0 vote, an open-enrollment policy, opening the 2,700-student district to children living in surrounding districts - Clermont Northeastern, Blanchester, Milford and Little Miami.

Board President George Rise and Vice President Sue Steele were absent.

Board member Brenda Martin said the district's recently completed construction projects - new elementary and high schools and renovated elementary and middle schools - had an impact on the board's decision.

"We've finished all of our buildings, and now we have the room," Martin said.

She believes the district has a lot to offer students looking to take advantage of open enrollment.

"We have fantastic buildings and our technology is state-of-the-art," Martin said. "We're just always working on educational mapping and changing."

Goshen joins Bethel-Tate Local Schools in adopting the program this year. In Clermont County, Williamsburg and Clermont Northeastern already have an open-enrollment policy.

New Richmond Schools is considering such a policy for 2004-'05.

Enrollment applications in Goshen can be picked up at the Board of Education office, 6785 Goshen Road. Registration will be accepted between Aug. 18 and Sept. 8.

The district's first day of classes is Sept. 2.

For information, contact Superintendent Charlene Thomas or Director of Personnel and Student Services Jane Schmidbauer at 722-2222.

E-mail kvance@fuse.net